During the era of the partnership of subordination between British Prime
Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush, the US overthrew the Taliban
rule in Afghanistan, and toppled Saddam Hussein and the Baath regime in Iraq.
The rest of the well-known story of lies is history, which began with Bush's
self-appointment as the supreme commander of the world's 'war on terror'.

Today, years after his declaration of victory in the war in these two countries,
there is an abundance of proof, in the daily scenes of killing, slaughter and
kidnapping, that while the deeds of Bush and his strategic partner were thought
the worst that could possibly happen, the worst is still to come with their star
fading.

As for the Iraqis and the Afghans, they now have to face their destinies - with
courage!

Hypothetically, assuming that we believe the Islamic Republic's supreme leader,
who interpreted the defeat of Bush and his party in the US midterm elections as
a victory for the Iranian nation; we had better expect another upheaval in
Lebanon along the lines of: 'this country will be the battlefield for
"vanquishing America and the Zionist entity"', especially as Tehran has nothing
to lose but Lebanese blood.

The supreme leader is enticing the Lebanese people with the omen of an imminent
defeat of the US and their enemies. According to this omen, the Israeli July War
should be viewed as a 'rehearsal' and tryout for the decisive battle that is
imminent because Khamenei decided that plotting of major political conspiracies
is currently underway.

Accordingly, he is not interfering in the affairs of Lebanon, but has merely
begun to mobilize America and the Zionist entity's enemies in the country for
his battle that has been modified in light of a scenario based on the
predicaments of Karazay in Kabul, Maliki in Baghdad, and maybe even Siniora in
Beirut, who has received more than his share of accusations of treason, which
were leveled by those who described him as an ally of Washington.

Khamenei's promise to the Lebanese that the new battle will take place on their
soil, especially as Tehran has given up hope that the wounded Bush will listen
to its advice and perhaps change his attitude. Bush, too, has given up on
pressuring Tehran to change its attitude and abandon what the Americans and the
British perceive as blackmail in the Uranium enrichment file.

Caught between these two states of despair, no one in Lebanon today dares pin
any hope on keeping their country neutral during this 'enrichment storm', as the
Iranian file is strongly behind all this country's crises. Among the pillars of
the obstructed dialogue are those who expected, even before the July War, the
possibility that the South would be the open battlefield for an Israeli-Iranian
war waged with the Shehab and Ra'ad missiles.

The July War is not completely over; Israel has failed to achieve victory.

Add to this failure that of Bush to isolate Tehran, to put an end to the series
of collapses in Iraq, to drive away the ghosts of Taliban and al-Qaeda from
Afghanistan, and finally, to cleanse the US administration of the Republican's
financial and sex scandals and 'heroism' of the neo-conservatives.

All this was in the supreme leader's mind as he took advantage of the White
House's setbacks to promote the so-called 'Islamic Middle East' project.
According to this, and in the event that Khamenei insists on this final duel,
there will be an increase in the number of centrifuges in the Iranian reactors
and, with that, the dissipation of all hopes to put an end to Iran's
infiltration of the region's junctures, issues and conflicts.

In the Islamic Middle East, the antithesis of the Greater Middle East, it is
Iran that determines when war will erupt in Lebanon. It is also Iran that
decides which militia to support in Iraq, and which to undermine by reducing it
to a star or celestial body in its orbit. It is Iran that will try to outbid the
Arabs by publicly calling for the annihilation of Israel. The more it raises the
price, the more Israel dashes the hopes of the Palestinians in life.

Khamenei and Nejad are not exaggerating when they say that they are witnessing
the ascent of Iran's shining star. A lot of this is thanks to the arrogance of
the Bush administration, its rationalization of all the Israeli violations in
Palestine and Lebanon, and its blindness to the infiltration of the intelligence
bodies to sow the seeds of sectarian mini-States and draw the borders of
backyard gardens in Iraq.

Suddenly, Tony Blair wakes up to realize the need to unify the courses of all
these crises and their underlying causes in the region. Bush, however, will not
hold his advice above Israel's wishes. Therefore, there will be no resumption of
the peace process with the Palestinians unless it is under the conditions laid
down by Olmert, and no 'carrot' for Syria or Iran in exchange for their role to
help put out the fires in Iraq.

Indeed, how can Damascus and Tehran help Bush out of the Iraqi quagmire for
nothing in return? The price Bush has named is very unappealing, and Damascus
and Tehran are raising the ceiling of the price, just as the victorious do with
the defeated, without paying attention to the fact that in the reminder of his
second term in office, Bush has broken free of all the constraints and domestic
considerations.

The odds for the colossal clash are on the rise; its arenas have been clearly
determined. Tehran would be mistaken, however, if it fell under the illusion of
monopolizing the reins of initiatives, or under the misled hope of a day on
which the US and Israel will surrender to its nuclear ambitions and recognize
its administration of the 'Islamic Middle East'.

Iran's star is rising? In the meantime the entire region is in the dark.